in which he teaches that things were kept hidden from Abram so that his heart would yearn and would revere the commandment
The LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you". Why didn't He reveal the land immediately and said (only) "…I will show you" to Abram? So that the Land of Israel would be revered in his eyes, for by things remaining hidden, his heart would yearn and desire to know about the Land, and so that the commandment would be endeared to him.
Hafetz Haim, Book of Genesis, Lech-Lecha weekly reading portion, p 14a, Pinhas and Yitzhak Bros. Publishing, Meknes, 1942
